Harmless Liaisons
by DearSweetPapercut
Summary: This is a sequel to "Misguided Fantasises" A missing persons case puts more pressure on the team than expected. Also how will the team respond to Greg and Sara's relationship...will they even have a chance to respond?
1. Chapter 1

This is a sequel to "Misguided Fantasises" -How will the team respond to Greg and Sara's relationship...will they even have a chance to respond?

Hey there, thank you for stumbling upon this, (can you stumble on the internet?) hope you all like it! Please Review!

**Harmless Liaisons: Chapter One **

He sat in the bullpen of LVPD fiddling with a small silver heart shaped locket in his hands. There was nothing special about him. He was just another average looking man, tallish, dark hair, dark eyes and a dark expression to match. Most of the officers walked passed throwing pitiful glances at him guessing that he was the loved one of a victim waiting for news. Waiting for someone to tell him that there has been a break in the case.

Vartann made his way through the doors surrounded by his co-workers a coffee clutched in his hands, and a look that told everyone that today was _not_ a good day. Seeing the man sitting in wait for someone to ask what to was wrong, Vartann rolled his eyes. What was wrong with the people he worked with? Why had no one asked the man what was wrong? Or if they could help?

Want something done right- do it yourself. That was certainly true in this place Vartann thought bitterly to himself as he approached the man.

"Can I help you sir?" he asked, the irritation clear in his voice.

"I'd like to file a missing persons report." The man responded looking up him in a distraught way.

It was in that moment that all the anger, Vartann had woken up with slipped away. _Things could always be worse. He could be this guy._ He reminded himself.

xxx

Greg and Sara lay next to each other listening to their heart beats slow down, and their breathing return to a normal pace.

"I think we have a record." Greg said between pants. Sara gave him a playful hit, and when they both rolled over to face each other they began laughing. Greg hadn't been able to keep his hands off Sara that night and she hadn't resisted his caresses and kisses.

It still felt wrong to Greg, being here like this, it still felt like they were having an affair to him. But it had been a month and a half since Grissom had found out about them. It had been a month and a half since Grissom and Sara had decided their marriage wasn't working. Not that they had told anyone else. They would steal kisses in the lab when no one was looking. Share what appeared to be causal touches in front of their co-workers. Be the professionals they were. Only to find themselves at home that night, tearing each other's clothes off and making love as if it may be their last chance.

Sara insisted that it made they had special but there was something at the back of Greg's mind that told him that hiding _this_ was not _special_ but rather a way of self preservation for Sara. But he didn't say a word for the fear of losing her.

Their alarms began bleeping reminding them that they were due in work in an hour.

xxx

Vartann sat at his desk, a new file open in front of him; pen in hand ready to take notes from what he was told.

"What's your name sir?" He asked first.

"Zack Berry."

"And who is it that has gone missing?" He asked the questions that were written on the sheet in front of him, knowing full well that he sounded cold hearted.

"My best friend, Andrea Martin." he said as calmly as he could, his hand were shaking.

"When did she first disappear?"

"About...three days ago...she went on a date and never came back." Zack explained the details that had been going around in his head for the last few days.

Vartann looked at him sympathetically, but he knew the statistics, after 24 hours, after 48 hours...after 72 hours.

xxx

A helpless woman sat in the small dark room that she had been left in. _How long had it been? _ She thought, but without zeitgebers she couldn't tell. Days. Hours. Minutes. Seconds. What was the difference?

She could hear the sound of bird song outside but nothing else. It was as if she was trapped in Pandora's box, stuck with secrets and truths that no one wanted. All now she had do now was wait for an unfortunate soul to open the box and let the horrors out.

There was nothing in the room apart from a chair, where he had sat and watched her. Watched the tears rolling down her eyes, her pleas to let her go and promise to never tell.

_Reasoning with a psychopath. Great idea. _

She closed her eyes and leant against the wall she was propped up against hoping that it would all soon be over.

She sat there hoping that her death wouldn't drag out.

xxx

Greg sat on the edge of the bed watching Sara getting dressed. It had become a routine, he would leave Sara in bed to get used to the idea of getting up while he showered and dressed. Then he would watch her morning routine with a coffee in hand. Watch the way she picked out her clothes, put on her make up and did her hair. There was something entrancing about watching his lover become the woman he loved, if that made any sense.

Greg didn't know what it was, but he adored watching Sara get ready. The way she would crinkle her nose slightly as she looked at herself in the full length mirror on the days she felt unattractive, as she was doing this morning, he stood up and walked over. Greg placed a kiss on Sara's shoulder, where her skin ended and her t-shirt began.

"You look beautiful." he muttered into her ear wrapping his arms around her waist.


	2. Chapter 2

Please please review!

**Harmless Liaisons: Chapter Two **

Sara shivered at the feeling of Greg's breath on her skin. She turned to face him, and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. She smiled into his skin as he held her feeling a sense of warmth surrounding her.

She didn't deserve this.

Sara knew full well that she didn't deserve Greg but here she was with him anyway. Taking in the feeling of his presence, his resistance at letting her go and pretending it was just fine.

xxx

Vartann took a couple of uniforms to the house of a local James Holden's house as it had transpired was the man Andrea had been going on a date with the last time Zack had heard from her. Vartann had had the luck of meeting him the few times he'd been dragged into PD for a drunken disorderly.

There was a "James" in everyone's lives. He was a charmer. Washed up after an attempt at a real relationship. Had tried his very hardest to be faithful, the "good" guy, only to commit the best type of self sabotage and sleep with her best friend. And so now he hangs out in the same bar every night known to everyone there apart from the young women he managed to get into his bed. Convincing himself that it was just in his nature to be like _this _and that he couldn't change even if he wanted to.

Vartann knocked on the door and waited for a response. But nothing. He glanced through the window. Inside it appeared to be a normal living room.

Well...normal apart from the dead body lying covered in blood and surrounded by chaos in the middle of the floor.

Sighing he stepped back and called it in.

xxx

Sara waited until Greg was out of the room before pulling on a thin gold chain she wore her wedding ring on. She knew it was wrong. And she knew that Greg hated it. But Sara couldn't let go of that part of her life.

She couldn't bring herself to tell everyone the truth.

To have everyone look at her that way after finding out what she had done to their beloved Grissom. To have everyone know that she was a terrible wife.

Shaking the thoughts out of her head, she tucked the chain into her t-shirt out of view, hoping that it will be out of sight enough for Greg, and present enough for everyone else.

Sara looked at herself in the mirror; there was nothing different about the woman staring back at her. It was the same person; the same eyes, smile lines, same broken smile.

The thing Sara tried to figure out as she looked at herself in that mirror was when she had become that selfish.

xxx

Brass got out of the car taking a look around, there was nothing but dessert and a burnt out car.

_Why was he here? _

"What we got?" he asked Vega who was already there. The man simply explained they had a car...that had been set on fire in the middle of the dessert.

xxx

"What we got?" Nick asked Vartann as he stepped out of the truck, Sara and Greg in tow.

"4 19, the guy is a suspect in a disappearance, came to haul him into PD, and found this." He indicated through the window to the dead man.

With their kits ready they headed inside.

"Doesn't look like there was a force entry through this door." Sara said taking a closer look at the door lock.

"Hey is it me or is that creepy?" Nick asked catching their attention.

On the coffee table was a woman's hand bag, the content of which had been taken out and lined up in small groups of items. The organisation looked almost OCD.

"That...is in fact a bit creepy." She agreed.

"Something tells me, Fusion Pink wasn't his colour." Nick commented picking the lipstick up in his gloved hand.

"We got an ID there...a Miss Andrea Martin." Nick shouted across the room at Vartann while he took photographs of the coffee table.

"That's our missing person." Vartann responded.

"And this guy was a suspect?" Nick asked pointing towards the dead body.

"Yeah...he was the last person we know to have seen her." Vartann explained.

xxx

Catherine and Ray stood looking at the blackened car trying to figure out where to start. The heat beat down on them helping Catherine make a decision.

They looked at Brass the way he had looked at Vega when he arrived, but he just gave them a knowing smile.

"Have fun." Brass said moving towards his car glad to finally be out of there.

"I say we take it back to the lab and process it there."

"Sounds good to me." Ray agreed not wanting to be out in the heat for longer than they had to be.

xxx

Greg could see the chain Sara was wearing tucked into her t-shirt but he didn't say a word. He had seen it this morning when she had attempted to hide it. She could see it now catching the light as she began processing the scene.

But he continued taking photos of the crime scene and picking up bits of evidence because "this was not the right place to talk about it."

This wasn't the right place to confront Sara on why she insisted to wearing, in some senses, her wedding ring even though her marriage was over.

This wasn't the right time to ask her why she wanted a symbol of her love for another man when Greg was in such close proximity.

_Oh no, this wasn't the right time or place to confront Sara about why she was so ashamed of the fact they loved each other._

Greg stayed tight lipped letting the anger boil up slowly, running through a script of what he planned on saying later in his head.


	3. Chapter 3

Hope you like it!

Please review!

**Harmless Liaisons: Chapter Three **

"Looks like sharp force trauma to the head." David said turning their victims head from side to side to take a full look at the state of the skull, the deep lacerations on the victim suggesting ferocity and violence of levels that suggested a monster.

David placed the body on the gurney and moved out of the room leaving the three of them to look at void, the space where a person's life had ended.

xxx

"Have a look at this." Catherine indicated for Langston to take a look at what was in the boot of the car they had towed from the middle of the dessert to the lab.

"That's very interesting." he said looking at what appeared to be a grey bag that had been untouched by the fire.

"How on earth did that survive?" Catherine asked taking a look at the burnt remains of the rest of the car.

"A fire resistant material?" Langston suggested. "Or... someone placed the bag inside after the car had finishing burning."

Catherine pulled the bag out of the boot and placed it on a nearby table, carefully unzipping it. Inside were a set of clothes carefully folded. It was not until she lifted them out they noticed the blood splatter that covered them.

"If it was me...I would have burnt these along with the car." Catherine commented.

xxx

Greg, Sara and Nick silently continued processing the scene collecting even the tiniest pieces of evidence in small plastic bags and pots.

"I think I've found the murder weapon." Sara called her voice suggesting uncertainty. She showed them what appeared to be a trophy; a solid metal cuboids. "The corners are consist with the head wounds, and the blood looks smeared rather than splattered." She explained how she had come to her conclusion that the object in her hands was the murder weapon.

The three of them looked back to the void in the middle of the room form which the body had been removed.

"There was directionality, in the blood splatter on the other side of the room, suggesting the victim was walking this way, towards here, and away from his attacker." Greg informed them of what he had found.

"So..." Nick stepped over the markers they had placed down to the other side of the room. "The vic was probably standing here, talking to his attacker..." he indicated to the spot where he was standing "...he turn around starts to walk away...and the attacker grabs the trophy from here..." he says noticing a dust void on a nearby self.

They stood in their spots imagining the attack take place in the space in front of them.

xxx

"So we have women's clothes covered in blood in a bag, in the boot of a torched car." Catherine stated placing her hands on her hips as she surveyed the evidence they had, from the train-wreck of a case they were working.

"Well...we have the evidence of a crime...but no actual crime." Langston mused.

"You want to get started on the interior? I'm going to take these to trace." Catherine instructed disappearing out of the door.

"Just the two of us then." Ray said and turned to the car.

xxx

Sara hung up her jacket in the locker room as Greg walked through the door. They stood in silence look each other in the eye knowing exactly what was happening.

"Are you embarrassed of being with me Sara? It is because I'm younger than you-" Greg started keeping his voice low as not to alert any unwanted attention.

"No...How could you think that?" Sara asked taking a step towards him.

"The fact you're keeping_ this_ as a secret. Keeping _us_ a secret. Why is that? Why don't you want anyone to know about us?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest in an aggressive manor.

"Greg...it's..." Sara trailed off looking down at her feet not wanting to finish the sentence knowing what she was about to say sounded stupid.

"It's what Sara?" he asked sternly. The tone of his voice making her look up at him, there was hardness in his expression that she wasn't used to.

"Complicated." she whispered, answering his question for the sake of answering it.

"How?" Greg growled slightly, the cigarettes he smoked apparent in his voice, and had they not been "fighting" Sara would taken that husky voice to mean that he _needed_ her.

"You _were_ with Grissom, that's over, _now_ we're together. It may be complicated for you because you are pretending that you're still married to_ him_." Greg said not raising his voice once, but the look in his dark eyes said it all.

"Hey you guys coming? The evidence 'ain't gonna process itself." Nick's Texan drawl forcing an end to their conversation.


	4. Chapter 4

Please review!

Sorry for taking a while, buried under exam stress : (

I've slowed the story/investigation down and opened a window into minds and emotions, I hope you like it!

Also I was wondering, do you think Sara is wrong for wanting self preservation?

**Harmless Liaisons: Chapter Four**

"We'll be right there." Greg responded turning around giving Nick a smile which made it appear as if there was nothing wrong.

"Meet you in the layout room." Nick nodded and began walking away.

"We're _not_ finished." Greg hissed sending Sara a look at made her flinch.

With that he turned around and walked away.

xxx

The woman heard the lock on the door click as her abductor stepped inside, a psychotic grin on his face.

"Don't look too disappointed to see me." He beamed.

"Disappointment isn't the right word." She responded bitterly. To which he simply just kept smiling.

_He's mental. Truly and utterly mental. _She thought to herself as he began unpacking a shopping bag that contained food.

xxx

Catherine walked back into the garage to see Ray collecting what appeared to be bits of rock from the back seat.

"Found anything interesting?" Catherine asked Langston.

"These pieces of what appear to be sandstone...but apart from that the car is clean...too clean." He explained.

"I had Brass turn the plates...the plates are fakes... no one has reported a missing car." Her voice sounding clearly fed up by the lack of progress.

xxx

"Where to start?" Nick asked looking at the table over run with evidence.

"I'll print the trophy." Sara offered not looking at Greg or Nick. She picked up the bag it was in and disappeared out of the door, leaving them alone.

"She okay?" Nick asked Greg.

"Yeah. She's fine." He said, not being able to hide the bitter tone to his voice. "I'll take the clothes." Like Sara he simply just picked up the bag that held the evidence and disappeared.

xxx

Sara's eyes stung with tears as she attempted to pretend everything was fine. She remembered that the glass walls in the lab meant that the people around could see what she was doing.

She had made her bed and it was now time to lay in it. The thing Sara had to decide was if she was planning on laying with Greg or alone.

She wondered what they, the people around her, would see if she confessed to what she had done. Sara could imagine the looks she'd be getting if they knew...the looks from Nick or Catherine. The people that had made up her family for the last 11 years. The more she thought about it the more it Sara worried she would lose them.

_What would they see when they looked at her? _

_Would they accept a liar? A cheat? _

Sara wasn't one to gossip but she was fully aware that the rest of the lab wouldn't see it the same way. She imagined how they would talk about her in the break room while she wasn't there. She thought about the sense of victory Ecklie would feel when he found out, the smug look on his face that would infuriate everyone else.

She'd hurt the one man she had claimed to love for so many years. And here she was saying she loved Greg.

Maybe she didn't really know what love was. She had never known it as a child. She had barely known it as an adult. How could someone who had felt so many emotions growing up, fear, hate, anger, sadness and lust, but never love, truly understand it?

Sara thought of all the men that it had taken to get this far. She thought about the times the word "love" had been thrown around by her, by them. And she realised at no point had she meant it. At no point did any of those men mean it.

She thought of Hank and how he had so easily used her, claiming it was love that had made him do what he did. How easy it had been for him to take her home that night to the bed he shared with his girl friend and have sex with her without any guilt. How easily had she given in. She thought of her college boy friend. And the guy from high school.

Grissom was different.

Greg was different.

It was the sound of the computer that she was sitting at that woke Sara from her thoughts. She looked at the screen to fit that AFIS had kicked out a match to the print she had lifted from the trophy.

xxx

Greg looked carefully at the clothes that he had laid out on the table in front of him. But he mind was elsewhere.

Over the last month and a half he had tried to put himself in Sara's shoes. He had tried to understand how she felt. He hadn't pulled her close and kissed her senseless in front of all the people she was instant from hiding from, like he wanted to do.

But he'd had enough. He couldn't understand. He couldn't pretend that she meant nothing more than a colleague, or a friend because he had waited 11 years for this. He had waited all of those years to be able to wake up with Sara, to hold her and to be by her side.

And at the minute he wasn't.

He was just standing at the side lines. Watching as time passed them by, not being able fully take control of what was happening between them. Greg had reminded himself over the last month and a half that they had, had an affair. And it had not been easy to come to terms with for Sara.

_They. It had been the both of them. Not just him. Or just her. __Sara__ had kissed __him__ back. __Sara__ had helped __him__ undress. __Sara__ had told __him__ that she loved him. _

_It had been the both of them._

And for what felt like the first time in a long time, Greg was angry at Sara. He was angry she was acting as if none of that had happened, acting as if she didn't feel anything more for him.

As if they should be ashamed about the fact they fell in love.

And then the thought hit Greg.

_Well...He'd fallen in love at least. _

xxx

"You buzzed." Catherine and Nick said at the same time as they walked through the door and into Hodges lab.

They glanced at each other in slight confused and then glanced back at Hodges, who was standing his hands together and a smile on his face that told them that he had something; something that might even break the case.

"Okay, what's going on?" Catherine asked wanting to speed the conversation up.

"The blood from the clothes you discovered..." Hodges started and then trailed off, giving them another smile, waiting for someone to finish of the sentence.

"Yeah?" was the only response he got from Catherine.

"...matches the blood from your victim." He finally fished, crossing his arms across his chest with a sense of pride at his work.


	5. Chapter 5

Hope you like it, please review!

**Harmless Liaisons: Chapter Five **

"So..." Catherine started, looking around the table in the layout room at her colleagues. "We have a car with, women's clothes, covered in your victim's blood. The clothes were the only things that weren't ash in the car. Hodges confirmed that the bag they were in was made with type of rayon, Lenzing FR, fire resistant material, which would suggest that whoever torched the car, expected them to burn too."

"The print on the murder weapon came back to our missing person, Andrea Martin; turns out she had a RAP sheet the length of my arm, from possession to soliciting. The other prints belonged to our vic, there were some others but too smeared to work with." Sara explained what she had found.

"I had Archie, check the CCTV footage outside the club, he left with our miss per. the date stamp suggests that she was the last person he was with. It only takes about five minutes to get back to his place, so unless there was someone waiting there for him it's looking as if our missing person is our best suspect." Nick suggested.

"I found long hairs on our vics clothes, skin tags intact, sent them to DNA to be processed." Greg chipped in.

"Guys there isn't any signs of there being anyone else there apart from our missing person. Our vic made a move, she wasn't into it, there was a struggle and she killed him. Maybe we should be considering her as a suspect?" Nick stated looking at the evidence in front of them.

xxx

"Why are you doing this?" The woman pleaded with her abductor.

"Because I have to...it's for your own good sweet heart." He said with a sympathetic look on his face.

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked. She had always lived her life on the edge. She had always gotten in trouble but never had she imagined everything ending in this way; being held captive for the pleasure of some sick twisted mental case.

He gave a throaty laugh and took a sip from the cup of tea he had made himself.

"Maybe, but for now I have somewhere to be. Don't miss me too much." He smiled letting himself out of the door leaving her alone.

xxx

Zack Berry sat at his desk fidgeting, placing a pen down and picking it back up in order to get back to work. But he couldn't focus, he mind was elsewhere, _when would the police find Andrea? He had done his bit, he had told them and all he could do now was wait. _

Vartann and Catherine made their way towards his desk, their expression telling everyone that this wasn't a casual visit.

"Detective Vartann- Hav-Have you found Andrea?" Zack asked seeing the stern look on Vartann's face. "Is she okay?"

"No we haven't found her, but we are trying our best." he assured Zack.

"Mr Berry, why didn't you tell us about Andrea's past record?" Catherine asked, revealing to Zack why they were there.

"She's moved on from that, she had some darker years, but she's really turned over a new leaf, I didn't think it mattered." he said looking innocent.

"Everything you know matters." Catherine said firmly not giving into the look on his face. "Do you know of any reasons why anyone would want to hurt Andrea? Dealers? Pimps? Anyone from her past that's held a grudge?" Catherine asked, deciding not to let Zack know that they suspected his best friend of murder.

"I really can't, she got out of that world for a reason."

"If anything comes up, let us know." With that Catherine turned on her heel and began walking away.

xxx

Sara watched Greg from her desk; she could see him working away, pacing as he read through files and notes.

And in that moment she felt overwhelmed with all the feeling she had for him.

She loved the frown he wore when he was concentrating, the smile of triumph when he'd worked something out, the way his eyes softened when he saw her, the way he held her at night, the way he kissed her first thing in the morning and the way he'd mutter in her ear about how much he loved her when he thought she was asleep.

It was thinking about all of these things that made Sara realise that she never wanted to lose him.

xxx

Nick picked up a few of the letters addressed to Andrea Martin that had been left on front porch.

"Looks like she hasn't been home in a while." he said turning to Langston who was close behind kit in hand. "I guess I get to bust a door down...after all we do have a warrant."

Nick did exactly that and stepped inside the house.

"It's a tip." he said glancing around.

"It is indeed...a tip." Langston said, following Nick inside.

"We better get started, or we're going to be here forever." Nick sighed and began moving towards the mess.

xxx

"Greg can we talk?" Sara asked, walking up behind Greg as he made himself a coffee in the break room. He turned around to face her, cocking his head he frowned.

"About what?" was his only response.

"About us." Sara whispered looking around to make sure that no one was close enough to hear, to her luck the one other person that had been in the break room was walking out. "I really want to make this work, Greg." she said at a normal volume.

"I know, I know..." his voice softened when he looked up to see the desperation and the weakness in Sara's eyes. "We just can't keep going like this...lying to everyone..."

Sara nodded, she turned the gold chain around her neck until the clasp was in front of her, she unhooked it, taking the chain in her hand to show Greg and then placed it into her pocket.

Greg felt slightly overwhelmed by the gesture. _Maybe things would be alright?_

Greg placed he mug of tea down and stepped forward pulling Sara into his arms, she didn't resist, and instead she wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she could without hurting him.

"I love you." he muttered into her ear.

"I love you too." she responded.

xxx

"Hey, didn't Andrea's best friend tell us that she was on her first date with our vic?" Nick asked.

"Yes, I believe so." Langston paused for a moment before he responded.

"Well he was lying...here are some photos of then...looking pretty chummy." Nick said pulling a handful of photos off the fridge.

"I wonder what else he's lied to us about." Langston ponders out loud.

xxx

Greg's pager buzzed in his pocket, forcing him to finally pull away from their embrace.

"Hodges has my results, better go." he sighs, he gave Sara a lazy smile, he stepped out of the break room.

She watched him walk away, already missing the feeling of his closeness, her phone vibrated her in pocket, waking her from the moment of calm, it made her jump slightly.

"Sara speaking." she said as she tapped her nails against the counter waiting for whoever it was on the other side to speak up.

"Sara, it's me, I'm outside, could we talk?" the familiar voice sent an electric shock through her body. She quickly hung up the phone and made her way to the labs entrance.

She stepped out into the Las Vegas heat and began scanning the car park but before she saw him she could hear the sound of his voice.

"Hello Sara."

Sara turns to see Gil Grissom leant on his parked car. She could feel her heart rate increase triple fold as she rushed over to him.

"Gil." she said breathlessly. Not knowing how to respond.

xxx

Greg watched from her entrance as Grissom pulled Sara into an awkward embrace. The hope he had no longer than five minutes ago was beginning to diminish as he saw the way Grissom looked at her.

_Why was he back? _


	6. Chapter 6

Hope you like it, please review!

Sorry if there are errors, my brain is frazzled, but let me know and I'll fix them!

Wow, sorry about that: note to self don't post at 2 am.

**Harmless Liaisons: Chapter Six **

Grissom let Sara out of the embrace and stepped back maintain a grip on her arm to steady her, he waited for her to say something, but Sara just stared at him, her eyes still wide with shock.

"Sara can we talk?" he said, or rather pleaded with her.

"Grissom I'm working...we have a hot case...I can't leave." She pulled herself together, her body language telling him that she didn't want to be there. 

"Then can we meet, afterwards? I'll wait for you after shift." His question turned into a statement.

She reluctantly nodded and Grissom climbed into this car disappearing out of the car park leaving her reeling from their encounter.

xxx

There was nothing Greg could do apart from stand and watch.

He could feel the anger boil up inside him, he wanted to go over there and tell Grissom to stop standing so close to Sara, to tell him to stop looking at her that way and to definitely _not_ touch her the way he was doing.

It had taken him eleven years to win Sara over. It had taken him over a decade to make her see that he loved her and that they could be happy together. And he was most certainly not ready to let that go.

He was not going to let Grissom mess with her head as he had done for so long.

xxx

"Hey Nick!" Langston called. "I think I got something."

He handed Nick a crumpled bit of paper.

"Bastards been lying to us the whole time." he responded once he'd read it. He pulled his phone out and pressed his second speed dial.

"Hey Cath. There's something you might want to do."

xxx

"What did your results reveal?" Sara asked, hoping that her voice sounded normal.

"The hair was a match to Andrea Martin." Greg responded going along with Sara's act that everything was fine. _When was she planning on telling him that she'd seen Grissom? Over dinner? While they were in bed together? _

"We have a new suspect." Catherine said as she walked into the layout room where they were stood. "Zack Berry, the best friend, or ex husband should I say. That man has been lying to us all the way. Greg I want you to dig up whatever you can about this guy there is a lot that he'd hiding from us. Sara, go through the evidence again, see if you can even find a trace of him being there." Catherine instructed them.

They both disappeared to do their respective tasks.

xxx

Sara could feel her heart beat thumping in her head as she finally got to processing the clothes that Catherine and Ray had recovered from the car trunk. She'd had no luck in finding evidence of Zack Berry's presence at their crime scene.

She collected a small amount of trace from the woman's shirt and held it in her hand as if it were the key to all knowledge that they had sought.

Sara walked to Hodges office to find him flicking through a golfing magazine.

"Hodges, I got trace from missing person's shirt." Sara said not commenting on his reading material. He looked up at her from the top of the magazine and gave her his teasing smile.

"Thank you Sara." he said a slightly psychotic grin playing on his lips.

"Whatever." She responded, not in the mood to deal with him.

"Sara." he said stopping her in her tracks. She arched an eyebrow and folded her arms across her chest.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?" he asked, the concern clear in his voice.

"I'm fine."

_What a lie_. Sara thought to herself as she stepped out of Hodges office and almost into Catherine.

"I got some trace of our missing person's shirt, given it to Hodges to process. But there was nothing on anything else suggesting there was another person there." She explained.

"That's great." Catherine responded clearly in a rush.

"Cath...Can I ask a favour?" Sara said quietly so that no one would over hear.

"Sure."

"Can I have half an hour? There is something I need to sort out. It's urgent." She asked, hopefully.

"Half an hour...no more." Catherine warned. Whatever Sara has asked the time for must have been important and it was clear from her voice she was desperate, Catherine thought to herself as she watched the brunette walk away from her.

xxx

Sara sat across from Grissom surrounded by busy people rushing around in one of the most crowded coffee stores in Vegas. She assumed if she met him somewhere as public as this, there wouldn't be too much drama. She wouldn't break down. She wouldn't give in.

"They're divorce papers...I think it's time we moved on." Grissom handed her an A4 sized brown envelope and bit his lip, cautiously picking his words. Sara simply nodded, taking the envelope from him.

"How are you and Greg?" Grissom asked a slight sense of sadness in his voice. He couldn't bring himself to stop loving Sara.

"Good, we're fine. How have you been?" Sara asked awkwardly.

"Good..Good...I've...I've er met someone..." he said not knowing how Sara was going to react. He smiled inwardly at the thought of Carrie. She had taken him out to lunch after he flight back to Peru; her wit and argument dulled the pain for those few hours. It had taken Grissom over three weeks to pluck up the courage and call her again.

"That's great." she replied giving him a slightly forced smile. "I'm sorry Grissom I'm going to have to go, Catherine only gave me half an hour-"

"It's fine, it's fine. I'm not going to be around for long, so if I don't see you again take care of yourself." Grissom stood up along with Sara and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

xxx

"Bingo!" Nick shouted from one of the bedrooms in the house, causing Langston to rush in.

"What you found?" He asked curious to see what it was amongst all of the junk that had been worth anything. Nick showed him a small clear plastic bag full of pills.

"Bingo indeed." Langston agreed.

Calling it quits, Nick and Langston headed back to the lab with their truck filled with evidence.

xxx

Greg had made himself his sixth cup of coffee of the day when Sara appeared in the break room. She had a sombre expression as she approached him.

"Where were you?" he asked causally.

"I...I...went to see Grissom." she responded not meeting his eye. The grip on Greg's coffee cup tightened as he tried to keep calm. "He was here-" Sara started but Greg cut her off.

"I know his was here...I saw you outside...you looked very friendly." Greg placed his mug down and turned to face her.

"It wasn't like that." she said quietly.

"No, but I'm sure you're going to tell me what it was like then aren't you? Just like you're telling everyone here what we're like." Greg said bitterly through gritted teeth.

"He-"

"He what Sara? Are you done? Have you had your fun now you want to run back to him?" Greg raised his voice.

"Please Greg, calm down. Can we talk about this at home?" she pleaded but Greg's anger was already too far gone.

"At home? So that no one finds out?" Greg shouted this time. Nick and Langston appeared at the door, their pleased expressions soon changed when they saw Greg.

"Greg. please don't do this." Sara begged for him to stop again.

"Do what?" he shouted back. Catherine had appeared at the door in order to see what the fuss was all about.

"Tell them? Do you not want them to know?" Greg pointed at the team. Sara closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her secrets were about to be shared with most of the lab and it was time to prepare herself for those looks.

"Know what?" Nick asked looking at the two of them trying to make sense of the situation.

"That we've been sleeping together." Greg informed them not taking his gaze of Sara.

She shut her eyes like a child would do when hoping a situation was just a dream. But that didn't happen because this wasn't a dream it was real life.


	7. Chapter 7

Will get back to the case in the next chapter, behold the team's reactions!

Hope you like it!

Thank you all for the reviews so far it means a lot, keep 'em coming :D

**Harmless Liaisons: Chapter Seven **

There was a moments silence while everyone digested the information. Greg kept his eyes on Sara but she didn't say a word. She simply stood there, a distraught expression appearing on her face.

"Is this true?" Catherine asked her eyes boring into Sara's back.

"Go on tell them Sara." Greg said bitterly.

"Yes." Sara muttered just loud enough for them to hear. Greg pushed past their audience, moving out of the break room, finally setting Sara into motion.

"Greg, wait, please." She shouted after him.

Sara caught up with him in the locker room, but he didn't look up at her.

"What do you want from me Sara?" He yelled at her. All of those years of repressed anger seemed to be flooding out of Greg. Here he was taking all of his frustrations out on the woman he loved. All of the anger he'd felt as he stood aside and watched Sara pine for Grissom when he had done everything he could to catch her attention seemed to be finally making its way to Sara's ears.

"I want you to listen-" Sara started but Greg just couldn't help himself, he cut her off again.

"What do you have to say Sara?" he responded bitterly. "Thanks for the memories, but you were just a _fuck_ I needed to get out of my system?"

"No-" A tear rolled down Sara's cheek.

"You're right...no...because it wasn't just once... can you even count how many time we-"

"He came to give me divorce papers." Sara shouted over him. She'd had enough of listening to him accuse her of using him. "I love you. I want to be with you. But you seem too blind to see that." Sara walked out of the locker room as fast as she could tears still rolling down her cheeks.

xxx

Wiping the tears away Sara took a deep breath as she stepped into Hodges lab.

"You have my results for me?" she asked her voice slightly croaky, her eyes red rimmed.

"Er...yeah...here." the man handed her a printed out sheet wary of her current mood. He'd heard everything but he couldn't think of anything to say. Sara avoided making eye contact with him as she read the sheet he had handed her. 

"Thanks." she said quietly turning to walk away.

"Sara." Hodges said.

"Yes?" she turned around dreading what words were going to come out of his mouth next.

"I heard what happened..." he paused for a moment clasping his hands together. "...and I understand the pressure a long distance relationship can put you under...Greg's a good man...but..." he trailed off not being able to say what he had been thinking to Sara.

"...but what I did was wrong." she finished the sentence off for him and quickly turned around and disappeared out of his office.

xxx

As Sara walked into the layout room she was faced with Catherine standing arms crossed, lips pursed and a fierce expression. Sara's looked at the floor; she couldn't bare that look of disgust that had played on her co-workers face. Sara placed the notes she had gotten from Hodges down and looked carefully and the file that had been left open on the table.

"How could you do that to him?" the words finally made their way out of Catherine's mouth.

"I...I don't know." Sara simply responded still not looking up.

"You don't know? You're telling me you just fell into bed with Greg and you don't know how it happened? Or why?" she accused.

"Catherine it's complicated-" Sara started but seen was soon cut off. (It appeared as if no one was willing to hear her out today.)

"Complicated? _You_ slept with someone else. After everything Gil has done for you. You betrayed his trust." Catherine accused.

It was true that was exactly what Sara had done. And there was nothing she could say in response to it. There is an increasing pain in the centre of Sara's chest as she attempted to stop herself from crying.

"I love Greg." She muttered, that was the only explanation she had for all the things she had done in the last two months.

"Are you sure? Or is this something that you're going to get bored of too? Are you going to put Greg aside when you find something newer?" Catherine asked walking out of the room before Sara could answer.

xxx

Catherine ran into Greg as she walked towards her office. She felt conflicted as she looked at the younger man in front of her. She wasn't angry with him, not really. She was angry with Sara, she was a married woman she knew her boundaries...or at least she should have known them. It had been clear to her for years that Greg had been in love with Sara. But still there was that anger she felt on behalf of Gil extended partly to him.

"You should have stopped it, Greg. She's a married woman." Catherine said shallowly, but there wasn't anger in her tone, it was simple disillusionment.

"I know." He responded his head bowed.

"What were you thinking?" she asked trying to understand. Catherine thought of Eddie and how she'd felt. How much she had wanted to understand. No matter how much she tried she had never been able to understand cheater. _Why ruin a good thing? Why go to all of that trouble to hurt someone? _

"I...I wasn't thinking. I love her Catherine."

"I know." was the response he got. Catherine turned around and stalked into her office.

xxx

Sara stood outside waiting for her mind to unravel everything that had happened and give herself a chance to respond. Nick appeared from inside and stood next to her in silence for a few moments.

"Go on say it...you think I'm a slut." Sara said in a dull tone.

"I don't think you're a slut Sara. I just don't understand why you did it." Nick responded his voice softer than anyone who had spoken to her today.

"Gil and I...we'd grown apart...things weren't the same...they didn't feel the same. I felt insecure...Greg was there...and I ended up having feelings for him." It felt the first time that day Sara felt like she had gotten a chance to be honest.

"Feelings?" Nick questioned.

"They were just feelings initially...I fell in love with him after...I knew...All of those years I never felt anything for any man other than Gil...but...Greg was different..." Sara spoke but it seemed more as if she was talking to herself.

"Long distances are difficult..." Nick suggested.

"It's not just that...Gil and I all we ever did was try...try to make things work...here...Paris...Peru...but we never wanted the same thing...Greg...he loves me...he's loved me for years...I don't have to force him to love me...or worry that he doesn't...we don't have to try...we just fit..." Sara explained folding her arms across her chest and staring into the distance.

"You really love him?" Nick asked.

"Yeah...I really do." Sara responded turning to look at him.

Nick rubbed her arm, with a look of acceptance and pulled her into an embrace.

"Well...now...I'm not going to say what you did was right...but...if you love each other...I guess I can take it." Nick said, wrapping his arms tighter around Sara in a bear hug.

And for the first time there was an inkling of a feeling that things might just be okay.


	8. Chapter 8

Hope you like it!

Thank you all for the reviews so far it means a lot, keep 'em coming :D

**Harmless Liaisons: Chapter Eight **

"We should get back to work...unfortunately killers don't hand themselves in often..." Nick smiled leading Sara back to the lab his hand on her lower back.

"You're right...I found trace on the inside of our missing person's shirt that I think might be able to put Zack Berry at our vics house..." Sara explained as they walked towards the layout room where she had left her notes.

"It was..." Sara said slowly picking up the printout Hodges had given her. "Toner...specific to Ink a Vegas based company...I had a look through the file...Zack Berry works for them..."

"I say it's about time we brought this guy in." Nick said his hands curling into fists. They walked together to Catherine's office, to present what they had found.

Catherine looked up from her desk she took her glasses off and placed them down in a exasperated way. She ignored Sara's presence and looked directly at Nick.

"Sara found trace, on our missing person's shirt that ties Zack Berry to the disappearance at least." Nick explained emphasising "Sara". But there was not a flicker of recognition in Catherine's eyes.

"I'll go get Vartann, get ready Nicky." Catherine said as she stalked out of the room to get Vartann.

"Do you think she'll ever forgive me?" Sara asked quietly once Catherine had left. Nick simply shrugged.

"Eventually." he said with a half smile in attempts to reassure Sara.

xxx

Nick and Catherine followed Vartann towards Zack Berry's office building. They took a look around the open plan floor but it soon became apparent that Zack was attempting to flee. He was walking quickly towards a fire exist hoping not to be noticed. Vartann and Nick's eyes met for a second and then they started chasing after him; they attempted to move around the office furniture without knocking it over.

When they both drew their guns Zack came to a quick halt, he turned to face them. He knew there was no point in running. They cuffed him and placed him in the back of the squad car.

xxx

Sara found Langston going through the evidence they had collected from Andrea Martin's house. She gave him a quick smile not knowing whether to apologies for what he had to witness earlier or whether to pretend that everything was fine.

"Anyway I can help?" She asked, deciding the latter was probably the best idea.

"Help would be great, could you have a look through those?" Langston pointed towards a pile of letters they had collected from Andrea Martin's porch.

Sara nodded and began sorting through the letters. She placed them in neat piles of bills, advertisements and personal. The bill pile seemed to be stacking up pretty high she noted. Every so often there was the threatening red letters of "final notices".

"It looks like she was up to her eye balls in debt. And that's from the outside. I haven't even opened the letters yet." Sara said.

She looked to see Greg walk through the door a sullen expression on his face. He stood at the door frame and looked at her.

"I'm going to take this to Hodges." Langston announced, he gave Sara an understanding look and disappeared out of the door leaving them together.

Greg closed the door behind him and stepped inside, attempting to word his apology just right.

"I'm so sorry Sara...the things I said...were awful..." he started moving towards her, his hands clasped together in front of and his head bowed. "...hurtful..." 

"You can say that again." Sara responded.

"I was angry...I...I don't want to lose you Sara...I've waited for this...for us...for so long...and...I want it to last...I know it can..." Greg was talking without letting his mind filter the thoughts. It was his honesty that had caught her off guard. She was expecting a rehearsed speech, but Greg had bared all, or so to speak.

She took a step towards him, her eyes watching the ground.

"You weren't going to lose me..." she said softly placing a hand on cheek. "...I think we can last..." she whispered so only he could hear.

Greg leant in and placed his lips on Sara's, kissing her slowly he wrapped his arms around her waist pulling in her close so their bodies were pressed up together. Ending the kiss they looked into each other's eyes sharing that linger moment neither one of them said a word.

They didn't need to.

It was there in black and white in their expression, in their eyes, they weren't going to let go of each other.

xxx

Zack Berry sat in the interrogation room his lawyer talking at him. He had a worried expression. Catherine and Nick watched from through the glass attempting to work out which strategy would be best in breaking him.

"What do you think?" Catherine asked Nick as they stood watching.

"I don't know." he responded lazily, his eyes intently watching their suspect.

"I'm going in." Catherine announced, turning on her heel and disappearing out of the door only to reappear again on the other side of the glass. Zack looked up at her nervously, and then looked back at his lawyer who just simply nodded.

"Where is she Zack?" She asked bluntly not bothering to dress up what she was getting at. It was rare in this job that they managed to bring someone home alive and Catherine wasn't willing to let that chance go.

"I don't know." he simply responded his eyes on his hands.

"Sure you do. We found trace that puts you with her." She raised an eyebrow in a taunting way as if to say _"get out of this one"._

"I don't know where she is _now_." Zack said not giving in to her expression and mocking.

"So you _did_ know where she was?" There was silence in the room as Zack refused to look up and refused to acknowledge that he was being asked a question.

"Zack...she was your best friend...and you're going to leave her out there...on her own...scared out of her wits? To die? Or already dead?" Catherine's voice softened, and finally Zack looked her in the eye; there was nothing but fear in his expression something Catherine wasn't expecting.

"They'll kill me..." he finally said.


	9. Chapter 9

Hope you like it!

Sorry for the slow update, late minute end of term things got me!

Thank you all for the reviews so far it means a lot, keep 'em coming :D

**Harmless Liaisons: Chapter Nine **

"You have to tell us." Catherine said as she looked at Zack, her eyes brimming with pity. He simply nodded at her.

"When...When I told you that Andrea had gotten out of _that_ life...I was completely honest... she was trying to get out...she really was, but she owed a lot of people money...a lot of bad people...she finally managed to get a steady job and pay them off...but they just kept asking for more..." He explained. Catherine knew too well the consequences of getting caught up with the wrong people and to never get out. She had been lucky but she was fully aware that many of the girls she had spent years dancing with did not have that chance.

"Right...and you think it was one of the people that owed her money that did this?" Catherine attempted to interpret the explanation Zack had given her.

"Not one of these people...a specific person...Ray Bemson." He said quietly, his hands clasped firmly together in front of him. The fear obvious in his eyes. _What was going to happen now he had named names? _He wondered.

"Do you know what happened to Andrea?" Catherine asked sternly.

"He took her...I don't know what he did after that..." He responded looking up at her hoping that Catherine would see the honesty in his eyes. "He's called me...asked for money...said he would let her go if I did what he said..."

"When? Where?" The desperation in Catherine's voice was obvious.

"I don't know...he said he would contact me." He recalled the cold, heartless tone to the voice of the man he had spoken to on the phone. A part of him feared that it was already too late.

"How?" Catherine asked not giving him a chance to explain.

"Text. He said he'd text me a location for the drop off." Zack said quickly.

"Give me your phone." Catherine demanded. Without resistance he slid it across the table at her.

She stepped out of the interrogation room to be face with Nick.

"Run a background on this guy, we need local haunts, any where he could hide someone...or a body..." She instructed Nick disappearing in direction of the lab.

xxx

"We should get back to work." Sara muttered, her voice being muffled by her head being buried in Greg's shoulder. He simply nodded and reluctantly pulled away.

"What are you doing?" he asked, a frown appearing on his face as he looked around the mess surrounding them.

"Processing the evidence Nick and Langston collected from Andrea Martin's place." Sara informed taking a look at everything that had been laid out to be processed.

They both turned to each other; slow smiles appeared on their faces as they realised they were both thinking the same thing.

"This is going to take _forever._" Greg groaned slightly.

"Well...we better get started...who knows you might even get a treat at the end." Sara gave him that half smile that always managed to get him a little hot under the collar.

xxx

Catherine stood next to Archie as they trawled through surveillance tapes of the roads that surrounded James Holden's home.

"She has to be on here somewhere." Catherine insisted as Archie flicked to another video of the same road just from a different angle, his eyes felt as if they were about to give up on him.

"I think you're right..." he said perking up slightly. On the screen they saw a woman being dragged towards a car.

"She fits the description and the images we have." Catherine agreed as they watched her being forced into the passenger seat of a dark Mercedes. The video quality was terrible meaning she couldn't be sure.  
>"Run the licence plates." She instructed Archie. "I'll put out a BOLO."<p>

Catherine disappeared through the door to see what everyone else had found.

xxx

Nick placed all the information that he had been able to recover about Ray Bemson in the layout room. Sara, Greg and Langston joined him, disappointed looks on their faces from the lack of useful evidence they had found amongst Andrea Martin's belongings.

"This is our suspect." Nick said pointing to the mug shot he had pinned up behind him. It was at this moment that Catherine appeared at the door an anxious expression on her face.

"He's be pulled in for everything from drunk disorderlies to attempted murder. He used drugs money to start up a loan sharking business. These are his haunts." Nick said pointing to various locations that he had highlighted on a map. "But he hasn't been seen there recently."

"He's been black mailing Zack Berry." Catherine added. She placed the phone she had taken from Zack on the table, and within a few moments it buzzed. Everyone paused and looked at the phone a moment before Catherine picked it up.

"We got a location for a drop off." she announced.

"He's bound to be there, doesn't trust anyone...works alone most of the time..." Nick explained another aspect of their suspect's character.

"We better get going. He wants to meet in half an hour."

xxx

The team stood waiting for their suspect to appear and as Nick had suggested he walked out alone, the gun tucked into the small of his back obvious. He had gritted teeth and his face twisted into a mean expression as he pulled Andrea roughly by the arm as he walked. She looked dehydrated and underfed, her eyes were red rimmed but she had stopped herself from crying, most likely a result of a not so polite request from her captor.

They decided not to waste any more time. Within seconds he was surrounded by armed officers, their weapons pointed directly at him.

"Let her go." Vartann shouted at him. But all he did was give them a smirk and pulled out his gun and holding it firmly to her head.

"That pathetic arse told you didn't he?" he said through clenched teeth.

"Let her go!" Vartann shouted again.

It became apparent to Ray that if he shot Andrea he would be accepting a death wish, so he pushed her towards Vartann and dropped the gun holding his hands up in surrender.

"You're the one that's pathetic." Brass said as he cuffed him.


	10. Chapter 10

Hope you like it!

Back to what you all want really want :P (Sandle goodness that is!)

Next chapter will be the last!

Thank you all for the reviews so far it means a lot, be sure to let me know what you think of this!

**Harmless Liaisons: Chapter Ten**

The team made their way back to the break room for a well deserving cup of coffee. Their heads were spinning from the events of that day, but there was a sense of satisfaction that they had managed to bring someone home not in a body bag.

Andrea was at the hospital being checked out, but from what the doctors had told them initially with rest she should be as good as new. Zack Berry had thanked them and rushed to see her as soon as they released him. The team felt a slightly inkling of hope that what they did could help the living as well as the dead.

xxx

Grissom sat in the break room a cup of tea steaming away in his hands, Judy had told him that the team were bound to be back any time soon, they had just finished up a case from what she had heard from PD.

"They're going to love you." Grissom said looking up at Carrie. She stopped pacing and turned to him not being able to remove the worried expression from her face.

"Are you sure? I feel like I'm intruding." She said nervously, her thoughtful nature had been something that drawn Grissom to her.

"Yes, I'm sure." He gave her a warm smile that made her heart skip a beat. She walked around the table so she was standing by Grissom and leant down and placed a kiss on his lips.

It was a cough from the door that stopped them. Grissom turned and smiled at the bemused and slightly shocked faces of his old co-workers.

"Hello everyone." he said waiting for someone to say something.

"You going to tell us what's going on or do we have to work it out for ourselves?" Catherine shot back at him.

"I want to introduce you all to someone." He turned to Carrie, giving her a look that says it's going to be fine. "Everyone I want you to meet Carrie, my...partner." Grissom informed everyone not knowing how to tell everyone about his new relationship. Carrie reached out her hand taking Grissom's in order to stop her nerves getting the better of her.

"Oh." was Catherine's response as she surveyed the beautiful woman in front of her.

"It's nice to meet you." Nick piped up, a nervous smile playing on his face as it sunk in how awkward the situation was.

"Hi." Greg said but there was a frown on his face and with a slight sense of territorialism took Sara's hand in his own; who stood silently observing everyone else's reactions.

"We were wondering if you all would like to join us for dinner." Grissom asked.

There was an awkward silence, until finally Nick accepted the invitation on behalf of all of them.

"We'd love to Grissom."

xxx

"She's attractive...don't you think?" Nick asked the team while they picked up their things from the locker room.

"Yeah." Catherine responded, not a single word from Sara or Greg.

_She was very attractive, just like the sort of woman Sara always imagined Grissom would find. And as much as it shouldn't have mattered...it hurt just a tiny bit. _

xxx

Sara stood looking at herself in the full length mirror there was something not right she noted. She turned to Greg who was sitting on the bed flicking through a magazine with little interest.

"What do you think?" Sara said turning to him straightening out her dress for the tenth time. Sara had been through her wardrobe attempting to find something that looked good enough. Carrie was beautiful and without having to say a word Sara's insecurities had become obvious.

"It's fine." Greg responded barely looking up. Sara sighed not knowing what to think about Greg's lack of response.

"We should get going soon." She said. Greg stood up and tossed the magazine aside and gave Sara a bored look.

"Do we have to go." he pouted, wrapping his arms around Sara, he tugged at the zip on the back of her dress and began kissing her neck.

"Yes, and we're late as it is Greg." She pulled away from his grasp.

"Fine." He responded through gritted teeth as he grabbed his car keys.

They drove to the restaurant Grissom had chosen in silence neither one of them sharing their thoughts or feelings. Sara wanted desperately to ask Greg what was wrong but she couldn't bring herself to hear another outburst like she had done not so long ago. The words that had spilt out of his mouth recently that been more than hurtful. Greg parked and without a word to Sara climbed out of the driver's seat.

xxx

Nick, Catherine, Greg, Sara, Grissom and Carrie sat around the dinner table taking slow sips from their wine. No one really knew where to start the conversation but it was clear from Catherine's expression that she had a few questions for Grissom.

"So Carrie, what do you do?" Nick asked attempting to be polite.

"I'm a forensics advisor like Gil." She responded. "Must be a lot of work being a CSI in Vegas, I imagine there is a lot of crime here." hoping her comment would be enough to spark a conversation.

"Yeah, like a lot of major cities." Nick replied waiting for someone else to chip in.

"Where did you meet?" Catherine asked, not being able to hide the sharp edge to her voice.

"On a flight." Carrie smiled placing her hand on Grissom's. "We went out for lunch afterwards, really hit it off...it took him almost three weeks to call me back..." she laughed slightly.

"Three weeks eh? Better than over five years." Greg said with a smirk, turning to Sara. Taking a sip of her wine she ignored him.

"It is." Carrie agreed a bemused look on her face as attempted to figure out what Greg had said that had make everyone frown.

There was silence as everyone attempted to ignore the atmosphere drinking their wine and eating their meals trying not to make eye contact. Carrie's phone started ringing causing everyone to finally look up.

"I better get this." She muttered as she stood up from the table.

"Greg can I speak to you?" Sara asked taking this opportunity to confront him; the wine had provided a little courage- taken off the edge.

"Sure." He said turning to her with glazed over eyes.

"In private." Sara stood up without waiting for him to start a fuss about how anything she had to say could be said in front of everyone. Almost obediently he followed her to dark side of the bar.

"What is wrong with you?" She asked sharply.

"Nothing." he responded placing his hands in his pockets and staring at his feet.

"Don't lie to me Greg." Sara spat at him through gritted teeth.

"How many dresses did you try on before you came today Sara? How long have you been wearing that same pained expression? How many times has the thought wow, she's beautiful come into your head?" Greg stepped closer to her as he spoke.

It was true, Sara felt inadequate next to Grissom's new lover.

But as she looked up into Greg's eyes she realised...it didn't matter.


	11. Chapter 11

Last chapter, hope you like it!

Again, thank you all for the reviews so far it means a lot, be sure to let me know what you think of this!

**Harmless Liaisons: Chapter Eleven **

Catherine shot Nick a look which told him that it was time to go and check on dessert or do anything that involved not being at the table. He gave Grissom a smile and stood up and swiftly began walking away.

"What's going on Grissom?" Catherine asked sternly as soon as Nick was out of earshot.

"I'm moving on Cath." He replied honestly.

"You're accepting this? Sara and Greg?" She was trying not to shout but Grissom could tell that his fact he was calm was making it worse.

"I accepted it a month and a half ago, they love each other." Grissom responded taking a sip from his wine.

"What about you? Don't you love Sara anymore?" Catherine's voice had softened. It was this question that caught Grissom off guard, it was this question that made a dull pain in his chest known.

"Yes. I will always love Sara, but we're no longer _in_ love. Things change, people change." Catherine sighed heavily and took a long sip from her wine. "You need to forgive Sara...I have..." Grissom said carefully choosing his words.

Catherine looked at Grissom, and for the first time she really took in what was happening.

xxx

"Greg I'm sorry." Sara whispered looking up at Greg's hurt expression.

"Yeah." He rolled his eyes and turned his head to look anywhere but into Sara's eyes because he knew if he did he'd melt and be right where she wanted him. It had amazed him over the years how just a look from Sara had got him.

"No...I really am." She gently turned his head to face her; her thumb gently stroking his cheek. "I'm sorry for how I've been acting...it's not fair on you...I doesn't matter who Grissom is with now...we're together...that's all that counts..." Sara said in hushed tones as if they were sharing a secret.

Tilting her head up she placed her lips on Greg's, he kissed her back taking in the taste of her mouth mixed with red wine. There it was, he was completely hers all over again.

It was like their very first kiss gentle, hesitant and conflicted but they both knew that all of this gave them another chance. A real chance to start over.

xxx

"Dessert it almost ready." Nick smiled sitting himself down hoping that Grissom and Catherine had finished talking.

"Great." Grissom smiled up at him, reassuring him that it was fine. Carrie returned to the table and took her seat next to Grissom. Their eyes met and their expressions softened, their feelings for each other were genuine Catherine and Nick noted. Eventually Greg and Sara reappeared taking their seats, smiles playing on their faces as everyone sat around attempting to be pleasant.

They all ate their desserts making polite conversation about their field of work, Las Vegas and Peru. It was all so civilised that they almost forget the feelings that had gotten them to this stage.

xxx

As they all moved steadily out of the restaurant doors into the hot Las Vegas evening Sara felt a hand on the small of her back which stopped her in her tracks. She turned to find Catherine watching her with a conflicted expression.

"I'm sorry...for the way I reacted..." Catherine said slowly as if to check the words she was saying were right.

"Don't...I didn't expect you to react in any other way..." Sara reassured her.

"No...no...it doesn't make it right...I of all people should know...that sometimes relationships just don't work out...and I judged you..." Catherine attempted to explain herself, but it was clear that she didn't need to.

"It's okay..." Sara gave her a smile, which Catherine cautiously returned.

"You better get going...Greg is looking bored." Catherine indicated the younger man that was pacing as he stood by his car. Sara gave her a nod goodbye and began walking in the direction of Greg.

"What was that about?" He asked watching as Catherine disappeared to her car.

"Oh...nothing...she was apologising for how she reacted...to us..." Sara responded with a shrug.

Greg took it as a cue, and closed the gap between them and pushing her up against the side of the car planting a hungry kiss on Sara's lips.

"I love when you say us..." he whispered. Sara gave a throaty laugh and kissed Greg again.

xxx

Carrie sighed and rested her head on Grissom's shoulder as the taxi drove them back to their hotel. The city swept past them as they sat in silence.

"Do you think that went well?" Carrie asked quietly.

"As well as it could have." Grissom responded, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I guess this is it then." Grissom turned to look at Carrie, a questioning expression appeared on his face.

"The first day of the rest of our lives." she whispered.

In that moment they both felt a sense of liberty as they realised they were no longer going to be held back with the past.

xxx

Greg opened the door to Sara's town house his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, pulling her body up against his. They kissed passionately not wanting to let each other go, a buzz made itself apparent in both of them. Fumbling to remove their clothes they fell to the living room floor in a scrambled mess.

"I love you." Greg breathed heavily against Sara's skin as he finally succeeded in removing her shirt.

"I love you too." she whispered back.

He paused for a moment taking in the beauty of their situation. Greg gently pushed a strand of hair out of Sara's face. Her coffee coloured eyes, the smile he'd wanted to taste for so long and the feel of her skin overwhelmed Greg. He kissed her softly, their lips barely touching causing electricity through Sara's veins. They made love there on the living room floor unable to hold themselves back.

Sara rested her head on Greg's chest as their heart rates slowed down, his hand lazily caressing her back. Their limbs tangled with each other; that moment felt so right.

Neither said a word revealing in the content feeling they had because now there weren't any barriers between them; everyone knew.

They now had a chance for a fresh start; together.

**The End**


End file.
